WISDOM

BOOKS

The Four Fold Way by Angeles Arrien

GUIDANCE

http://chaninicholas.com

http://mysticmamma.com

http://oldeways.bigcartel.com

http://www.thehoodwitch.com

http://blackswantemple.org/articles/african-goddess-yemaya-mother-of-all/

http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/hercules-and-love-affairs-andy-butler-on-succumbing-to-overcoming-addiction/

https://www.ragganyc.com/dom/

http://www.therapyforblackgirls.com

https://www.hayhouseradio.com/#!/ 

http://www.cosmicsister.com

http://www.maps.org

https://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov

https://wildflowersex.com

ARTICLES

https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief/

https://www.alice-miller.com/en/healing-hatred/

https://melmagazine.com/i-have-hiv-my-partner-doesnt-84bbfeedfeca

http://www.businessinsider.com/trauma-bonding-explains-why-people-often-stay-in-abusive-relationships-2017-8

https://www.wekeepitcandid.com/blog/2017/9/19/i-dont-want-to-cum-i-want-to-feel

https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tedspread-a

http://www.teenvogue.com/story/gender-variance-around-the-world

http://mymodernmet.com/nasa-air-filtering-plants/

https://splinternews.com/how-i-learned-to-orgasm-after-sex-reassignment-surgery-1793863166?utm_medium=sharefromsite

https://www.viceland.com/en_us/video/sacred-water-standing-rock-part-i/5888c90ae04dd90112c2893a

http://www.womboflight.com/why-its-crucial-for-women-to-heal-the-mother-wound/

https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/10/06/just-like-my-mother-how-we-inherit-our-parents-traits-and-tragedies/

http://www.healthline.com

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-12661646

http://sanctuary3.com/spiritualized-domonique-echeverria/

http://www.injusticeboycott.com

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/19/juno-dawson-cant-be-24-hour-sexual-fantasy-dating-trans-woman?CMP=fb_gu

https://unitedhumanists.com/2017/05/07/science-has-a-new-explanation-for-homosexuality/

https://medium.com/an-idea-for-you/how-i-stopped-checking-my-phone-and-started-using-it-with-intention-ec2f38c0b536

http://articlesbrain.com/what-it-means-when-a-narcissist-says-i-love-you/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mental-health-black-women-art_us_57c87f76e4b078581f11f296 

https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/bjgxx4/jesus-hasnt-saved-us-young-black-women-returning-ancestral-religions

http://www.oprah.com/sp/new-midlife-crisis.html

https://www.gaia.com/lp/content/gut-bacteria-is-controlling-your-mood-should-you-fix-it/?utm_source=facebook%2Borganic&utm_medium=gaia&utm_term=film&utm_campaign=evergreen&ch=st 

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/domestic-violence-and-abuse.htm

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/7bdabb/a-neuroscientist-explains-how-he-found-out-meth-is-almost-identical-to-adderall?utm_source=vicefbus

VIDEOS

If you have trouble focusing and staying present while working or studying I HIGHLY recommend playing this in the background. Our brains are so used to being overstimulated its hard to not get distracted. These sounds have also helped a lot of my friends who struggle with ADD and ADHD. Try it out! 

Winter can be daunting, making it hard to get out of your bed, especially when the sun is being coy. These sounds have the ability to transform your day and make your morning a little easier. . .and remember to take lots of vitamin D.

ARE YOU HAVING A HARD TIME STAYING ON TRACK?

Maybe it is time to get grounded and focused as we prepare for winter. . .Come up with a new healthy routine that is realistic and fits in with your schedule and do it every day! (No shit, right?)It takes about a month to really get into it, but I promise, it is important to become human again. Here is what works for me, kind of obvious, but making a list for yourself at first helps. . . maybe get a few friends to reset themselves with you, get your whole family feeling good, pass on your knowledge and share your experiences. Reset and recharge and let go of what doesn't serve you. 

How to become a human again

* Wakeup and do not touch phone, unless you need to use it to quickly to access music

1. Pee

2. Drink 1 glass of water (eventually work your way up to 3) 

3. Meditate. Put on headphones, listen to meditation music of your choice, and lay down. For beginners, I suggest a guided meditation, then work your way to a more minimal sound like Tibetan singing bowls or binary waves. I prefer chakra balancing and cleansing music, you can search online for something that works best for you. Make sure you are comfortable, warm, maybe cover your eyes, and if you have healing crystals that you love, feel free to use them during this morning meditation. This time allows you to check in with your body and mind, giving you the opportunity to reset yourself for a new day. Today is a new day, remember to take deep, long breaths, bringing fresh oxygen to all of the nerves, joints, muscles, organs and bones in your body. What will I do today to help myself, my family, and the world?

4. Hydrate. Get up, and go drink 3 cups of water. If you are someone with an acidic stomach and find drinking water difficult. Start with one glass with a slice of lemon squeezed in. The lemon will help balance out your acidity levels and kick start your metabolism. Drink as much water as possible until you eventually work your way up to 3 cups of water at a time.

5. Breakfast. Try to prepare breakfast mindfully without music or any other distractions, little exercises like mindful preparation allows us to slow our brains down so we get comfortable with being our own pilots again. I suffer from chronic body pain as well as anxiety, trauma and a mood disorder so I treat my first meal like my morning dose of medicine. What does my body chemistry need to stay regulated today? Am I tired? did I go out the night before? am I PMSing? Am I depressed? Am I in pain? Do I feel amazing and want to keep it up?Whether I'm preparing a smoothie or a cooked meal, I make sure every ingredient has a medicinal quality, from oils, to spices, to vegetables, to fruits, etc, every ingredient is a combined effort to regulate my adrenal hormones, remove toxins, and keep my inflammation down. I stick to an organic, vegetarian, gluten free, rice free, dairy free, sugar free, caffeine free, high protein, candida diet. Everyone's bodies are different, explore what works for you. I had my blood tested to help me figure out what foods cause the most inflammation in my body and eliminated them from my diet. If you are interested on how to regulate your pain through food medicine you can email me at: domonique@universalmother.love 

6. Protect yourself. Whether it's a ritual, a prayer, a pep talk, a moment of peace before you walk out the door, etc, remember to take a moment to protect your energy and ask yourself to stay present  and strong in your body.

7. Move. Dance around while you're getting ready for work, go for a walk, do yoga on the floor in your room, go to the gym, find a way to get your muscles moving. If you like to shower or bathe in the morning before or after this time is best, especially if done mindfully, any chance to reset and slow down. 

8. Work. Whether it's creative work, working at a coffee shop, or office, try to be present in your tasks. This is especially important for you freelancers out there, fill this time with mindful work, free of distractions. I like to leave my phone on airplane mode in a drawer in my dresser. If you do need to respond to calls, texts, emails, etc for work, try not to get distracted by social media and get into an internet K hole. 

9. Fuel. Water, food, vitamins, sunshine, fresh air, music, laughter, day dreaming, meditation, love. What do you need to keep yourself going right now? 

10. Study/work/create. Now that you've recharged, come back to your work or project with a fresh mind, fresh eyes and full body. Prepare yourself to be mindful and get started.

11. Move. If you pay attention to animals and children, they are always moving. Stretch, walk, go work out after work, do yoga in your living room, maybe your body needs a particular stretch or exercise to counter act the tension and stress from the day, especially if you've been sitting at a computer or standing.

12. Decompress, cleanse, and fuel. Throughout the day we absorb a lot of energy from other people. It's important to find time to release that tension, stress, and heavy energy before we enter our home or greet our loved ones. Maybe that means screaming, working out, getting together with friends, watching a funny movie, taking a shower, going out to dinner, listening to music, journaling, making art, or simply taking a deep exhale. Check in with your body, what do I need right now? 

13. Connect. Take this time to be mindful with your interactions, with yourself, and with others. Practice gratitude through action and presence. 

14. Prepare yourself for sleep. Sometimes it takes me a long time to wind down from my day, so when I'm present, I make sure to give myself plenty of time to acclimate. I like to clean my room before I go to bed so when I wake up I'm in a fresh space, respond to friends and family if I have the energy, shower, prepare my work table or bag if I have a busy week, practice rituals, read, spend time with lovers and listen to music. If you have a hard time winding down from the day or falling asleep, come up with a bed time routine and stick to it until your mind catches up. Maybe you need to reset your circadian rhythm.